Ribbon Cutting: Wave Hill House

June 19, 2013

On June 19th, Commissioner Burney, Deputy Commissioner Resnick, and the DDC Public Buildings Wave Hill House project team celebrated the project’s ribbon-cutting. The project’s goal was two-fold: to provide barrier-free access to all public areas of Wave Hill House and insure ADA compliance; and an overall upgrade of the facility, including rehabilitation of the exterior of the building, and the addition of a new HVAC system, lighting, and boiler inside the building.

Work also included replacing termite-infested floor joists and broken marble floor tiles and columns at the building’s entry; remediating basement-level flooding; installing a new fire alarm system; restoring seven historic fireplaces throughout the building; and renovating the building’s kitchen and café. Lastly, the team performed a selective restoration of the exterior, including masonry, roofing and copper gutters, leaders, and gable flashing.

Wave Hill House was built in the Greek Revival style in 1843-1844 by William Lewis Morris, a New York City attorney. In 1966, the New York City Landmarks Commission designated Wave Hill House and its entire site as an historic landmark. Today, as one of 33 City-owned cultural institutions, Wave Hill provides an oasis of serenity and offers programs in horticulture, environmental education, woodland management, and the visual and performing arts.